Do You Have Telephone "Issues"?

[tevagirl]

I don't have a phobia about receiving or making phone calls. I just hate talking on the phone. I fade out during long conversations which is not good when the same conversation continues the next day and you have no idea what in the heck they're talking about.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I couldn't call a DISer. I have assigned you all "voices." If the one you spoke with didn't match, I'd be freaked. What if Paige has a deep voice, like Suzanne Pleshette? That would be all wrong!

Some of these responses are cracking me up. I knew about Shug, but some of the other ones surprise me. LB, I didn't expect that from you...

89, Ty's thread "The One Thing WPASADI" when you listed more than one thing.

teva, in that case, yesterday was good for you.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I usually don't answer my phone unless I know who it is. OT - If someone's been calling me, but blocking the number, is there any way to trace the call? Someone's been prank calling me, and I want to know who the heck it is.

 

[jbmom]

I don't like making calls to people I don't know either. It kind of freaks me out. It seems like I stammer over what I need to say. Not a phobia, but not a comfortable situation either. My husband on the other hand can talk to anyone on the phone, but he does it everyday for his job. I stay home with small children and rarely make calls to people I don't know.

 

[alanapapa]

I sometimes live on the phone. Part of it has to do with my job, I dispatch outbound freight to REI's retail stores, so I talk to the different freight companies and the stores on a daily basis. I used to work a phone bank for a guy running for congress and would make "cold calls" to get out the vote. After that, nothing bothers me.

Like a few of the Posters, I hate to just "small talk" on the phone. My DM calls, or I call her and we are done in less than 3 minutes. Caro's DM or DS calls, and a half hour later, they are still talking but not saying anything really.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I sometimes live on the phone. Part of it has to do with my job, I dispatch outbound freight to REI's retail stores, so I talk to the different freight companies and the stores on a daily basis. I used to work a phone bank for a guy running for congress and would make "cold calls" to get out the vote. After that, nothing bothers me.

Like a few of the Posters, I hate to just "small talk" on the phone. My DM calls, or I call her and we are done in less than 3 minutes. Caro's DM or DS calls, and a half hour later, they are still talking but not saying anything really.

So did you know I called Caro today?

 

[disykat]

I very rarely make a phone call that I'm not obligated to make for some reason. I don't mind getting phone calls or talking on the phone. I just hate feeling like I'm interupting someone - because I have no idea what they were doing when I called.

Even when I call my parents or sister, I say "is this a good time to talk?" or "am I interupting anything?" before I start a conversation.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Personal calls, not a problem.

At work I have no problem with incoming calls. But I HATE making calls! I will fax something 500 times as opposed to picking up the phone and calling. LOL! Avoid making those calls like the plague.

 

[Dina]

I very rarely make a phone call that I'm not obligated to make for some reason. I don't mind getting phone calls or talking on the phone. I just hate feeling like I'm interupting someone - because I have no idea what they were doing when I called.

Even when I call my parents or sister, I say "is this a good time to talk?" or "am I interupting anything?" before I start a conversation.

WOW--- I was going to type the very same exact thing. I hate hate hate calling anyone, because I'm afraid they are in the middle of something, or it's a bad time. I'll call my mom-- but she's the only person that I don't hate to call (but I swear I start every conversation asking her if "it's a bad time?"). She gets mad if I don't call though, so I don't worry so much. I've actually lost quite a few friends because of this--- I'm sure they thought I wasn't making an effort (which I guess I wasn't), so they stopped calling too. If you have email, I have no problem, but for some reason most of my close friends didn't.

 

[Blondy876]

Terrified. I hate talking on the phone. If it isn't someone I am close to I don't even want to answer it. I won't call to order pizza, I am scared to call and talk to anyone. It use to drive my dh crazy but he had realized that it's just one of those things I honestly cannot do so he takes that responsibility. Your not alone.

 

[sunlver]

I didnt realize it was so common. I dont mind answering the phone. I hate calling people I dont know.If I know my friend will answer the phone I am fine with that. I panic if the husbands answer the phone, its like I never know what to say.
When I use to have office jobs, I didnt mind answering the phone and taking messages. I would just about have an anxiety attack if the boss told me to call somebody and relay a message of some sort.

I volunteer with a doggie rescue group. One of my jobs is phone duty..we dont have an office. Volunteers do it from home, we get the messages off the voice mail, then we call people back.Ive been doing it over a year now.Some times I get very nervous about calling some people back. If its a general question.. Im cool with that, like "Where are you located", "Is this dog still available"..
I love it though when I call back and the answering machine on.

I even hate calling and making drs appts of rmyself or the kids. I do it of course, but I get so nervous.

 

[Taylor]

OP, I am glad you are not my new salesman...

 

[Nickimouse]

And this is why I love the DIS! I now know I'm not crazy, or at the very least not alone in my dislike for making and receiving phone calls.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Terrified. I hate talking on the phone. If it isn't someone I am close to I don't even want to answer it. I won't call to order pizza, I am scared to call and talk to anyone. It use to drive my dh crazy but he had realized that it's just one of those things I honestly cannot do so he takes that responsibility. Your not alone.

I also hate ordering pizza.

I didnt realize it was so common. I dont mind answering the phone. I hate calling people I dont know.If I know my friend will answer the phone I am fine with that. I panic if the husbands answer the phone, its like I never know what to say.
I even hate calling and making drs appts of rmyself or the kids. I do it of course, but I get so nervous.

OP, I am glad you are not my new salesman...

I'm telling you, once I'm on the phone I'm fine.

Nickimouse, when did I ever say I wasn't crazy?

 

[disneymcgraw]

I'm phonephobic, there I said it. That feels better.

 

[meeskamouska]

How funny!! I have a friend who has this type of issue...I thought it was just her!!! She doesn't answer the phone even if she knows who it is...she has to be prepared to talk to them. Before I know I am going to call her I email her a few days prior so she can prepare....she makes a list of things she doesn't want to forget and then either calls beofre I get to it or waits for the call!!!!

 

[ZuZugal]

I have what I would call a big fear of making and receiving phone calls (and talking on the phone to a certain degree until I've done it a time or two). Not a phobia, but issues for sure. I don't like to make calls unless I'm sure who is going to answer the phone. I will usually answer if someone calls me, but mainly because we have caller ID and I can see who is calling before picking up. When the caller ID doesn't work I panic.

Are you my mother???????????

Seriously...........

mom will come over to babysit my youngest, and the first thing she says is "Do I have to answer the phone? You know I don't want to answer the phone. Are you expecting any calls? I'll just let it go to the machine." Actually, she is not asking me those questions, she is just making statements because she doesn't even consider that I might answer "yes" to making her answer the flippin phone!

 

[OneThingRemains]

I have the same thing. Mine was actually really severe at one point. I wouldn't call people back when I applied for jobs to set up interviews, I couldn't call to make appointments, anything, so it actually started really negatively affecting things. I don't mind talking on the phone once the call is made, but I really do have a phobia of calling people or answering the phone if I don't know who it is. My "phobia" (if it can really be called a phobia, I don't know) hasn't gotten any better, I've just learned to suck it up and call people when I absolutely have to.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

How funny!! I have a friend who has this type of issue...I thought it was just her!!! She doesn't answer the phone even if she knows who it is...she has to be prepared to talk to them. Before I know I am going to call her I email her a few days prior so she can prepare....she makes a list of things she doesn't want to forget and then either calls beofre I get to it or waits for the call!!!!

I'm not nearly that bad!

ZuZugal, I'm pretty sure that I don't have grandchildren.

 

[ZuZugal]

ZuZugal, I'm pretty sure that I don't have grandchildren.

Okay....so your not really my mom.....but someday if you do have grandkids the above quote from my mother will serve you well!!

By the way, I always know I can open one of your threads and have a good laugh so thanks for the entertainment this evening. (And I'll have to tell dear mom that I had a good laugh at her expense as well and shared it with, well, lots of people!)